Magazine journalist apprenticeships

Creative and media

Magazine journalist apprenticeships - where to start

You can get into this job through

a university course

a college course

an apprenticeship

applying directly

specialist courses from training organisations

University

You may find it useful to have a degree in a subject like journalism or media. This will help you learn about the magazine industry and develop the skills you'll need as a journalist. You could also do a postgraduate course in journalism. Some of these are accredited by the Professional Publishers Association.

You'll usually need 2 to 3 A-Levels, or equivalent, for a degree. You'll need a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study.

College

You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job. Relevant qualifications include Level 3 Diploma in Journalism or Level 3 Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.

Some colleges offer the Level 3 Certificate in Foundation Journalism and courses in Shorthand, accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). You'll usually need 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent.

Apprenticeship

You can work towards this role by starting with a Level 3 apprenticeship as a junior journalist. Employers will set their own entry requirements.

Volunteering

Competition for jobs is strong, especially with the better-known magazines. You'll find it useful to have examples of your published work in a portfolio. You'll also need practical experience, which you could get by:

contacting magazines to ask for work experience
writing reviews of films, plays or products
volunteering to work on newsletters
writing your own blog and having an online presence

Direct Application

You could apply directly for jobs, especially if you have knowledge of the specialist area the magazine covers. You would need to build up a network of contacts as many journalist jobs are not advertised.

Other Routes

You can study a range of professional qualifications in journalism, either online or part time at a training centre, accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists.

Magazine journalist apprenticeships - what it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

knowledge of English language
knowledge of media production and communication
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
excellent written communication skills
excellent verbal communication skills
ambition and a desire to succeed
persistence and determination
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Magazine journalist apprenticeships - what you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

You may:

go to meetings to plan the content of the magazine
suggest ideas for articles
interview and research to collect information for articles
fact check and proof read articles
write articles to suit the magazine's style
keep up-to-date with developments and trends in the magazine's subject area
work as a critic, reviewing things like films, food or concerts

Working environment

You could work in an office or from home. Your working environment may be emotionally demanding.

Career path and progression - Magazine journalist apprenticeships

With experience you may be able to progress to an editing position or move into another area like newspaper journalism, radio or TV. You could go freelance and write for various publications, or become a staff writer.

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Considering an Apprenticeship?

There are lots of benefits to apprenticeships, here are our top 5:

Paid Training
Not only will your organisation (or the Government) pay for all of your training, but you’ll be paid to do it. That means you could actually get paid to get your degree and have no debt!
Range of career opportunities
There are over 625 different apprenticeships to choose from, in a range of industries. Whether you’re interested in law, marketing, construction or engineering, you’ll find something up your street!
Earn & learn
As an apprentice, the minimum you’ll earn is £6.20 an hour, but we’ve seen apprentices earn a starting salary of up to £30,000 a year! You could also get other employee benefits like gym memberships, paid holiday and sick pay.
Great career prospects
Employers think apprentices are 15% more employable than those with other qualifications. In fact, many large employers train their graduates and apprentices together!
Learn on the job
There’s only so much you can learn when you just do a qualification. As an apprentice, you’ll also get to learn on the job - whether that’s designing amazing graphics, chopping vegetables or building engines!

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